Insights
IQ Workforce Interview With Dave Traugott
This podcast interview is with Dave Traugott, an independent consultant and former McKinsey Engagement Manager. We ask Dave about his experience as an independent consultant and advisor to CEO’s. If you are thinking of becoming an independent consultant / interim executive there is some helpful, practical information in this interview…
Forecasting & Planning for the Strategy Team's Talent Needs
As I’ve written previously, corporate strategy is a dynamic, real-time process, where CSOs must anticipate industry and market trends so their companies can quickly take advantage of new opportunities. Not surprisingly, this makes their talent planning more challenging. CSOs are under pressure to deliver and can’t maintain momentum when they’re trying to operate with open…
Think Hiring a McKinsey Consultant is Only for the Fortune 500? Think Again!
The top tier management consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG and Bain, among others do great work. These firms have smart, talented consultants and tried and tested methodologies, frameworks and processes that allow them to deliver consistently good work that delivers results for their clients. Yes, we’ve all heard the jokes and negatives about consultants,…
3 Keys to Building a Sustainable Strategic Organization
It’s possible that our economy may never return to “normal,” Tyler Cowen, an economics professor at George Mason University, recently wrote in the New York Times. While some economists believe the slow wage growth and low labor participation we’re now seeing are temporary conditions, Cowen argues that they’re more indicative of structural dysfunction and fragility….
The Growth of Real-Time Corporate Strategy
Remember when corporate strategy moved at a measured pace? Companies took an almost leisurely amount of time (by today’s standards) to survey their markets and track consumer behaviors, evaluate technologies and study a number of hypotheses about where industry trends might lead and how they could be exploited. But as I wrote last week, business…
Where Did Chobani Go Wrong? Was it Avoidable?
The Wall Street Journal (http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-chobani-rocky-road-from-startup-status-1431909152?KEYWORDS=chobani) cataloged the rise of Chobani from a start-up in 2007 to the $1Bn company that dominated the Greek yogurt market with 60% market share and its subsequent stumbles which led to a need for a $750MM investment from private equity firm, TPG and ceding the CEO position to a “professional…
Flexibility: The New Vision of Corporate Strategy
Corporate strategy needs a makeover. In a world where new products can dominate the market’s zeitgeist one minute and sink the next – think Meerkat – the ability to quickly grasp the implications of new technology and how it will impact customer demand is essential. Strategic planners no longer have the luxury of conducting year-long…
Speed, Flexibility Are Keys to Success for the New Corporate Strategy Department
Today’s corporate strategy department is always on the lookout for potential game-changers, and has to be prepared to move quickly to outflank competitors, both traditional and disruptive. Otherwise, their business will lose competitive edge and market share. These groups are expected to lead a company’s growth through innovation and competitive expansion, a tough proposition in…
How to Evaluate an Independent Consultant
The independent consultant industry is expected to grow as companies seek to cut costs, streamline operations and look for real expertise to support their business goals. This growth means that there are plenty of cost-effective options for expert independent resources that provide long-term value for your business. And as the market for independent consultants, or…
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